Private schools urged to focus on children’s holistic development

Mr John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has urged managers of the private schools to focus on the holistic development of school children, instead of concentrating on widening their profit margins.He highlighted the relevance of quality education, stressing, that 'it serves as the catalyst and the driver to transport resource to parts of the country' to spur socio-economic and political development of the people.Mr Kapi gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of the closing session of the ninth Biennial Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), held at Techiman, the Bono Regional capital.He said private schools ought to strategize well by focusing too on the need to ensure the proper upbringing and holistic development of school children.'Developing the child to pick a more responsible life, and thereby contribute to nation building is more profitable. So, we must focus cr eating an enabling environment for an affordable private education system,' he stated.Mr Kapi expressed worry that some private schools in the country were more profit-oriented, instead of concentrating on building a better future for the younger generation.'It's, therefore, prudent for private schools to consider the interest of the state by complimenting government's efforts and provide affordable educational system for the younger generation who are the future leaders of tomorrow,' he stated.Mr Kapi said the government alone could shoulder the responsibility of providing accessible and quality education in the country hence the needs for the GNAPS to support drive the education sector for the nation to derive its optimum benefit.Quality education, he added remained the key to personal development, and paramount to the attainment of development goals saying countries which failed to develop their human resource base would also lag in development.In brief background, Mr Kapi explained the WAEC was established in 1952, and to determine, conduct examinations and issue certificates in the supreme interest of the public.Additionally, the WAEC is tasked to assist in the development of sound education by ensuring that educational standards were maintained, he said and council's commitment to conduct credible examinations.Source: Ghana News Agency